Analysis: All or nothing, Dodgers' Kershaw will be on the mound

Whether he'll pitch with a chance to get the Dodgers in the playoffs via the wild-card - oh, the drama - or whether he will simply make his final start of the Dodgers' final game of the season, he is pitching today.

That says exactly what you need to know about Kershaw.

Probably what you already know, but reaffirms why you love him.

Before the St. Louis Cardinals or Dodgers played their respective games Tuesday, with the Cardinals needing just one win to clinch, and the Dodgers' season done with their next loss, we learned Kershaw was pitching.

He's made his past two starts while doing his normal routine, so there is apparently no cause for concern with his hip injury.

Kershaw wants the ball with the playoffs on the line. And he wants the ball if there's nothing on the line.

How can you not love this guy?

"For me as a player, I wanted to play until the last day," Mattingly said. "Clayton loves to pitch. I think he's looking at it as he's had two starts and zero pain, so why can't I pitch one more game?

"If the powers that be say we're shutting him down, that's what we do. If he's not feeling anything or doing anything different ... "

The Dodgers trailed 4-1 midway through six innings against San Francisco Tuesday, and Kershaw hung his arms over the railing of the Dodgers dugout, just hoping for a chance that his start today will mean something.

Kershaw was hoping he had a chance to deliver in the biggest game of the year. He was relegated to watching postseason baseball on television last year in his Cy Young Award-winning season.

All he wanted for today was a chance. He sat in the dugout, glove on, during Tuesday's game.

He probably wanted to pitch right then, after Chris Capuano's dismal start lasted just 3<MD+,%30,%55,%70>1/<MD-,%0,%55,%70>3 innings after he allowed five runs on two hits. Before the game, Mattingly said Capuano was sore and had a bruised shoulder, the product of hitting himself with the bat while warming up during batting practice.

You can't make this stuff up.

As for why Capuano still was starting, Mattingly said before the game, there really was no one else, not with his experience for a game of this magnitude.

Luckily for the Dodgers, Kershaw won't own a bruised ego today if the game won't have playoff implications.

There was concern Kershaw might need hip surgery, but luckily for the Dodgers, he avoided going under the knife and ending his season.

What Kershaw needed Tuesday, was some runs from his Dodgers offense. And the ball today.

"It would be nice getting to that game (today), knowing we've got Kersh, and they've got to win a game," Mattingly said.

When the Dodgers ran out to the field to start Tuesday's game, they knew the Cincinnati Reds had a two-run lead in the sixth inning over St. Louis. All St. Louis needed was a win to lock up the wild-card spot, and it lost 3-1.

Cincinnati won the National League Central long ago and is tied for the best record in baseball. The Reds are the best friend of the Dodgers right now.

The Reds did their part to help Monday and Tuesday. The rest was up to the Dodgers.